Current airport check-in involves a process and structural configuration that has changed little, if at all, for decades. Passengers typically wait with their bags in sometimes lengthy lines approaching a ticket counter. Once at the counter, an agent asks each passenger a number of questions regarding each passenger's destination, number of bags to check, frequent flyer number, and other matters pertinent to the travel. Gathering this information takes time and, multiplied over many passengers, can significantly slow the process.
Agents are aware of the lengthy lines, and endeavor to hasten each passenger through the process as quickly as possible. In order to do so, each agent can spend very little time with each passenger doing anything other than asking for the necessary information regarding the passenger's name, destination, number of bags to check, and other flight information. This leaves little time for other cordial interaction between the passenger and agent, and makes it difficult for agents to carefully assess passengers for security risks or other issues.
Once passengers reach the front of the ticket counter, the design of the counter makes checking in baggage awkward and injury prone. Passengers or agents must first lift heavy bags onto a scale near the counter, where they are weighed and tagged. Then agents must lift the bags from the scale and deposit them onto the conveyor behind the counter so that they may be transported to the appropriate aircraft. The repeated heavy lifting of bags may in some instances cause injury to the agents.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved check-in process and system that would overcome some of these disadvantages.